Jestic extends reach into bakery equipment sector

Jestic Foodservice Equipment is diversifying its core product offering by investing new resource into the bakery equipment market.

The company is about to extend the demo kitchen at its Kent HQ to incorporate a dedicated bakery section, while it has just hired a bakery specialist with 30 years’ experience to provide support to customers.

The move builds on the tightening of its relationship with Sveba Dahlen, which was extended from the foodservice sector to the bakery sector at the end of last year. Jestic is also now distributing the Glimek range of bakery products, which Sveba owns.

Sveba’s bakery equipment in the UK was supplied through Benier, and Glimek through ScobieMcIntosh, but the manufacturer moved to consolidate its sales channel through one company last year and the joint business ended up in Jestic’s hands.

“Our relationship with Sveba Dahlen is still quite new, but it is going to be very important for us going forward,” Jestic boss Steve Loughton told FEJ. “We see the bakery side as not only a new market sector for us, but a whole new area for the business. From the research that we see, we know that breakfast is the fastest growing sector, casual dining is continuing to grow, lunch is continuing to grow, but that artisan bread is going through the roof. We think we are hitting it at the right time.”

Jestic won’t be involved in selling industrial plant, but will instead focus on customers that need specialised bakery equipment for one or more units. Loughton expects there to be good cross-selling opportunities with customers that currently purchase foodservice equipment it sells.

The expansion into the bakery market has also seen the company hire Steve Lamb on board as its first bakery product manager.

The former Benier man has extensive experience of managing national accounts in the bakery sector and his training has included the production and preparation of items such as sourdough and long shelf life cakes, as well as concentrated butter-based items including biscuits and pastries.

Loughton said: “We knew quite clearly that if we wanted to get into the bakery market seriously and properly, we needed a baker to do it because a chef isn’t a baker and a baker isn’t a chef. Baking is in Steven’s blood and when you talk to a lot of artisan bakers and family-owned businesses that have been in that business for generations, they want to know they are dealing with someone that absolutely knows what they are talking about. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to bring Steven on board.”